What's On the Inside
by LexiLex24
Summary: Ilana is tired of people hating her for being herself. But what will happen when she suddenly stops being herself? First published story! LancexIlana


Yes! Finished this story.

I got bored writing my other one and struggling to keep everyone in-character.

So I thought, what if one of them was completely OC?

So here you go! If you don't like characters behaving differently, I suggest you turn back while you can. I don't own Sym-Bionic-Titan!

Warning: some adult situations, but no lemons.

* * *

Ilana was making her way down the street in her striped pink polo shirt, and miss-matching purple skirt and blue ugg boots. She just loved taking walks and seeing the people on this planet go about their business.

"_I wish Lance would've decided to come with me." _But no, he just had to stay home to catch up on his training. It was great he wanted to keep that amazing body of his in top shape, but it's not like he couldn't spare twenty minutes to escort her to the park and back. They had been together for 3 months now.

Just then her thoughts were interrupted by her bumping into something solid in front of her. She looked up to see it was a girl with beautiful long tree bark brown hair and clear forest green eyes. She was wearing a light blue jean vest on top of a strapless white top with baby blue skinny jeans and white ankle reaching high heeled boots resembling that of a cowgirl.

" Eww! Your that dorkette Ilana Lunis! I can't believe I actually touched you. Now I might have loser cooties." she ranted brushing off her well-endowed chest of invisible parasites.

" Well I'm sorry." Ilana apologized in spite of being insulted." I should have been paying more attention."

" You mean to your path, or that abomination you pulled out of your closet this morning?" she asked sarcastically.

" What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" she inquired more offended than she was before.

" Nothing, unless your on your way to the circus." she answered. Ilana's eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed into the nastiest glare the normally chipper blue-blood could muster and made her way to the park yet again.

Hoping she could just ignore the girl and get on with her life, she heard her call out to her turned back. " Yeah, go to the mall and buy yourself something decent to show yourself in public in. While your there, see if they have vanishing cream for hideous freckles, dorky hairstyles, and freakishness." she shouted before slinging her navy blue clutch purse over her shoulder and walking in the opposite direction.

Ilana did her best to pretend she didn't hear that, but it was no use. Her glossy pink lips began to quiver, a slight whimpering sound could be heard emanating from them.

After a grueling 5 minutes of walking and trying to keep herself from breaking down for all to see, she made her way to the park and found a secluded bench almost completely shrouded by bushes.

There she let it all out. She wished Lance had been there to defend her, and then comfort her. He would have put that chatty dingbat in her place.

_"Why do so many people dislike me? Back on Galaluna I was beloved by all. Is it really that I'm just an unlikable person here?" _She thought wiping her amber eyes with her left arm and struggling to sit up straight.

* * *

Back on Galaluna, General Modula was... for lack of a better word, annoyed.

He looked out into the baron wasteland that was once the proud prosperous planet of Galaluna. With all the destruction and turmoil, you would be able to say the saving of this ball of dirt was a lost cause...

You could _almost _say that.

But he knew as long as the princess was breathing somewhere out there in that big elusive universe, the remaining insects here still had the hope of salvaging what was left, and gave them the willpower to keep fighting, there was no way he could be sure of his conquest.

And that annoyed him.

" Sir!" panted one of his drones running out onto the balcony to tell his master whatever news he had. Without turning his back Modula asked

" What?" he said simply yet threateningly to get the point across that he didn't wish to be bothered right now.

" Tarvlak says he's found a new monster, one that would ensure the princess's end, sir." With a sigh Modula made his way toward the science lab past the drone who swiftly stepped out of the General's way as if the cloak he always adorned was made out of acid and he would die upon touching it.

The current ruler of the planet found himself in the science lab and ignored all the horrifying creatures kept behind glass cases and metal cages. He was able to locate Tarvlak, keeper of exotic and dangerous alien animals in the midst of the dark room. He regarded his superior with a sinister yet humble smile.

" Why general, fancy meeting you here. You wouldn't happen to be interested in my latest pet would you?" he playfully inquired. The General just stood silently, conveying to him he was not in the playful mood. Not that he ever was.

" This creature's venom is quite special. You see, it travels through the blood cells and then makes it's way to the brain to unleash it's devastating effect."

Modula expected to hear it would kill the princess on instant, but as the insane hunter rambled on...

" It changes a person's outlook. Reverses one's personality one might say." he explained further.

" And just how will that result in a dead princess?" he demanded calmly.

" Well sir, the princess desires to stay away from her home planet for her own safety. But upon getting bitten by this little fella.." he said patting the small jar like containment field said fella was in. " She will eventually become over-whelmed with desire to return until she finds her way back here and you can kill her yourself."

Rather than tell him the twenty something ways this plan of his could backfire, he decided to give him a chance, if nothing else she might end up being seriously injured at least. And if nothing happened he could always take his rage out on the rather obnoxious animal catcher.

" Very well, release the-" he said taking a second to eyeball the suspiciously small yet apparently deadly creature " beast."

* * *

Lance was sitting in the living room, a downtrodden Ilana in his lap. He had spent the better half of his afternoon rocking her back and forth gently and whispering words of comfort in her ear.

" Ilana, you shouldn't listen to her. Girls like that just love making girls they don't like miserable." Lance said still holding her.

" That's just it Lance." she corrected him, head buried in his muscular chest. " She doesn't like me, nobody at school likes me. Because I can't be anyone else except me." Lance gave her the most sympathetic look he could after hearing that.

Trying sound as nice as possible, he told her " Look honey, I know back on Galaluna the entire planet wanted to be your friend, but here things are different. Everyone who lives here has different views on how somebody should look, act, dress and all that. And it's impossible for one person to fit everyone's description of the perfect person. You are who you are."

Lance lifted her chin to meet her eyes. Lime green irises burned into circular rays of sunshine." And you fit_ my_ description perfectly."

She tried her best to smile at him, his words touched her heart like a gentle feather but at the same time stabbed her like a butcher's knife. She knew he was right, she couldn't please everyone, not as long as she was just Ilana.

" So, you love me because I'm me? Not because I'm a princess, or because I'm probably the only teenage Galalunian girl left?" she asked her beloved soldier/lover.

Before he could answer-

" There has been an opening in the rift gate." reported Octus in his dad disguise. Ilana jumped off of Lance and Lance lifted himself off the couch to get his shoes on.

* * *

The 3 aliens undercover found themselves in a forest on the outskirts of town. Whatever had landed here, Octus said it was small and carried a rather dangerous amount of unidentified poisons. So the young heroes procceded through the woods on foot and with extreme caution.

" So Lance, what were you gonna say back at the house?" Ilana suddenly asked through her Corus armor.

"Huh? About what?" he asked trying to focus on the potential threat buried somewhere under the leaves and rocks.

" You know about loving me as a person. Not just an assignment or a last resort?"

" Oh of course." he said half paying attention to her while the other half busied itself with observing some conspicuous looking frogs. " I mean why wouldn't I love you? Your hair is as soft as silk, your eyes like melted pools of priceless gold, your fair skin dotted with freckles that could put the cutest little Pippy Longstocking wanna-be to shame...' he listed hoping his flattery would reassure her and get her to drop the matter. But he quickly proved himself wrong upon turning around and finding Ilana standing rather firmly in front of him. Although her face was covered he could just tell she was giving him the mother of all looks behind her high tech armored suit.

" So-" she questioned enraged, " You only love me for my looks." she accused.

" What no! Don't be ridiculous!" he said defensively.

" Oh, so I'm ridiculous for wanting to be loved for who I am? Your just like the others Lance!"

" Ooohhh!" Lance grunted in frustration. Why did they always fight over the most trivial things? " Why do you have to overreact to everything? You take the stupid things in life way too seriously and you take the important things in life way too lightly. But hey, your the princess and I'm just the low ranked soldier! You _must_ be right, and I_ must _be wrong. So I guess there really is nothing more to you than your looks. I guess those kids at school are right to dislike you!." Lance exploded at his now very shocked girlfriend.

Lance then realized the way he had just spoken to perhaps the greatest thing to ever come along in his less than fortunate life. Why did he have to be so insensitive? Ilana then turned off her armor, momentarily forgetting there was a potential threat to her life lurking around who knows where and ran off into the darkness.

Lance called out to her, but the only response he got was the "ribbets" of the frogs he was interrogating earlier.

" I really messed up huh?" he asked sadly from a bright green and red speckled leaper.

"Ribbet".

* * *

Ilana, now sitting on a damp log in front of a lake, sobbed quietly in her own arms. Her " circus worthy" skirt was getting wet, but she didn't care.

All she cared about was having someone who loved her. And now, thanks to being herself, she completely blew it with the one person who did.

_" Why does just being alive have to be so complicated? Why can't people dress, speak, and behave in the way they choose and not be despised for it? Why can't- _Ow!"

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden pain in her left calf. She observed said limb, and saw a small bite mark. " Darn mosquitoes." she cursed the annoying little pests.

She decided she'd done enough storming off and crying for one day and went to find her way to Octus and her (hopefully still) current boyfriend. But stopping by a moss covered tree, something grabbed her attention.

A beautiful butterfly. It was light pink, and decorated with elegant spirals of purple, green, and blue evenly on each wing. She held out her finger and it landed on her feminine digit obediently.

Ilana smiled and placed her new friend on her shoulder and decided to call Octus and tell him she wouldn't be going coming until late.

She felt like going to the park again.

* * *

_The Lunis residence at 12:31 am_

Ilana had came back to the house by 9:00 on the dot. Lance expressed his concern for her when she wouldn't answer her communicator. " I just needed some to think.." she would respond every time he asked.

By now she was safe in her bed, enjoying the embrace of her pillows and comforter.

"_I wish for just one day, I could see how people would treat me if I was a different person."_

Ilana lost consciousness after that thought, and the little pink butterfly in the jar on her dresser flapped it's wings one last time before resting.

* * *

_7:14 am_

Lance was arranging a simple breakfast of cereal and milk. He slept as well as he could, but woke up at around 2:00 as always. He kept thinking about what he said to his girlfriend(at least he hoped she was still his girlfriend) and how he would apologize.

_" I can't believe I said those things. I know she was taking her anger out on me, but I didn't have to do the same to her. As soon as she comes down here-" _

"Honk-honk."

Lance flinched as he felt his rear end get groped by a pair of small, slender hands. He turned around to find the object of his thoughts staring at him hungrily. He stared back at her with confusion as he rubbed his molested buttocks.

She then spoke in a tone of voice he had only fantasized of.

" Hey sexy. What's cooking? Besides that steaming hot body of yours." she asked of him.

To say Lance was confused was an understatement. He searched his mind for an answer that wouldn't sound like he was trying to reinforce her newfound behavior.

" Uh... I was just making myself a bowl of cereal. Your welcome to join me."

She took him up on his offer, and swayed her hips in an exaggerated fashion as she sat down and poured the moo juice and grain circles into her little red bowl.

Lance then stared down his own breakfast silently, and did his best to put his words into sentences.

" Ilana, I want to apologize for what I said yesterday. I was way out of line. But please trust me, no matter what other people think, I will always love you. And not just because your pretty. Because your beautiful, inside and out."

Ilana smiled at his words and covered his fingers with hers.

"Don't worry baby, I don't care what you love me for. As long as I get be held in your muscular arms, and put my lips around those warm tender ones..." she said tracing said features of his with her right index finger for effect much to his discomfort. "...I couldn't care less what the reason is."

Lance's green eyes now comparable in terms of size to dinner plates studied her until they found their way back to the now soggy breakfast treat below.

Lance just hoped Octus would come back soon. He was out all night looking for whatever he sensed come through the rift gate.

* * *

Octus was still in the forest in his actual robot form. He was ready to give up his long and thorough quest for whatever pint-sized mutraddi creature that found it's way their current home. He was sure Kimmy would be worried when he didn't show up to school.

But the safety of his "family" was his number 1 priority.

Just then, he tried using his censors again in an attempt to locate the poisons he sensed last night. Only to find the threat was no longer in the forest, but had made it's way to the city.

Octus then flew into Sherman again in hopes of ending this fruitless endeavor.

* * *

After arriving at school, everyone had their eyes on the "brother" and "sister" that were always the talk of Sherman High.

But today, their attention was all on Ilana.

The normally ignored princess walked through the halls like she never walked before. One hand on her hip, and the other dangling back and forth to the beat of her footsteps.

She was wearing a strapless red sweater that showed off her respectably sized lady lumps, and a tight black skirt that just barely concealed her panties, and matching black 3-inch pumps.

I repeat, MATCHING black 3-INCH pumps.

The Ilana Lance knew had never dressed like that. He had no idea she even had these things in her closet for God's sake! She's probably worn all 3 items in public before, but the appeal of them must have been hidden by clashing articles of clothing.

Boys craned their necks while girls rolled their eyes.

Ilana just continued her catwalk with her nose in the air as she upon her locker. After she opened it, she bent down in the way girls normally only do when their trying to get a boy's attention. (You know, when they don't bend their knees and keep their butts hoisted in the air? yeah you do.)

When she arose with all the books she needed for first period, saw saw the eyes of nearly every boy in the hallway fixed on her. Much to her enjoyment. And much to Lance's annoyance.

He shot them all his classic death glare causing them to give their attention to something else.

Lance turned back to Ilana. " Honey are you sure your okay? You've been acting pretty weird since our fight, and I don't want you straining yourself if your not feeling well."

Ilana pinched his cheek condescendingly, "Awww! Aren't you sweet? It's great you care about your girl, but it doesn't mean you have to act like one." she said all of this while smiling at him as if he wasn't supposed to be hurt by her comment. But he was.

Before he could respond, she pinched a cheek that was, _a_ _lot_ lower than the first one.

Lance "eeped" in a very un-Lance way. And scoped around the crowded hallway to make sure no one saw that.

" Ilana are you crazy?!" He hissed as quietly as possible. "What if someone saw you doing that? We're supposed to be brother and sister!"

Ilana didn't stop smiling, "Let em' look." she answered simply. " Then everyone can see the hottest guy in school is all mine."

Lance just sighed as they both made their way to History class. He hoped things would get better as the day went on.

* * *

But_of course _it didn't.

Ilana sat in the front of the room, not paying attention to whatever was rambling about. She had the gall to be painting her nails no less. It seemed she couldn't decide between a rose red color and a jet black.

Lance stared at her in disbelief, and decided to express his opinion as well. " Ilana" he called.

Ilana didn't respond right away. She felt finishing the nail she started on was more important than respecting her elders, so after one more coat and a few blows to help it dry, she put down her beauty products and raised an eyebrow as if he was in the wrong for calling her out.

"What?" she asked the gray haired man nastily.

The shock on his face resembled Lance's from earlier as he regained his composure and glared at his star pupil.

" Ms. Lunis, I would appreciate it if you actually paid attention in my class." he scolded her lightly trying to be easy on her.

" And I would appreciate it if you used mouthwash, but I guess we can't all have what we want." she bit back.

Several "Oooohs" emerged from the classroom as told her she had detention. The center of attention just shrugged and went back to her nails.

* * *

At lunch, Ilana and Lance sat next to each other. Ilana kept trying to place her hand on his thigh, but he just gently smacked it away.

" Ilana, I don't know what's up with you today, but you really need to stop with public displays of affection." he warned. "Your gonna blow our cover."

Ilana, completely disregarding his opinion scooted as close to him as possible, and whispered naughtily " I know something I'd like to blow."

Lance blushed redder than he ever did before and gasped "Ilana!"

Again, she just shrugged and returned to her lunch. Just then, a group of cheerleaders approached Ilana and Lance's table. But for once, they paid no attention to him. A shiny raven haired girl with almost lavender eyes looked down at Ilana with an inviting smile.

" Hey it was really cool the way you told off Bartley." she said.

" Yeah, we all hate that old fart!" added a blonde girl with a ponytail and dark brown eyes.

"He's like, always trying to teach and stuff." finished a girl with long brown hair and green eyes that Ilana identified as the girl who made her cry the other day. She glowered at the brunette beauty.

Completely oblivious to the now "cool" girl's sudden hostility, she asked " Do you want to each lunch with us?"

Ilana didn't say anything for a moment, and stood up smiling. The cheerleader smiled back until Ilana grabbed her by the back of her hair and slammed her face into her knee knocking her unconscious.

It all happened so fast Lance couldn't believe it. Ilana rarely used violence, even when her life was in danger! Ilana looked down at the pretty girl who had just gotten her pretty faced bashed in and then towards her friends.

She raised an eyebrow" Next?"

The girls then ran off almost forgetting to drag their beaten up comrade with them.

Everyone in the cafeteria had seen what happened, but said nothing about it in fear of being "next".

Ilana smirked while Lance sighed.

_"I don't like this Ilana."_

* * *

Octus traced the signal all the way back to the street of their house, much to his confusion. He was even more baffled when his own censors guided him into the house, up the stairs, and right at Ilana's room.

He cautiously opened the door, and saw her room looked as normal as ever. Except for a jar on her nightstand.

He looked at the tiny creature residing inside and tried to convince himself his information was wrong when he knew it wasn't. He then picked up the jar and further explored the insides of the butterfly with his x-ray vision.

If Ilana had been bitten by the bug, he could make an anti-venom out of it's posions and the right combination of common over the counter medicine.

He had no time to waste, so rather than call Lance to check if Ilana was okay, he got to work on the formula.

* * *

Lance had waited for Ilana outside of detention, where she greeted him with a hug and a smack on his butt. Which he scolded her for but stopped realizing it was no use.

They had finally arrived home and Lance kicked his shoes off and was ready to make his way to bed. He was just about to walk up the stairs when...

" And just where do you think you're going?"

Lance inwardly groaned and turned to face the the princess with multiple personality syndrome.

"Look Honey," he said using his pet name for her. " It's been a really long.."

...

Lance stood silent and slack-jawed.

Ilana was in her_ bra and panties, _standing in front of him.

"day".

She grabbed him by the shirt and pushed onto the couch. She then pounced on her prey and straddled him. "C'mon baby."she begged. " You can't tell me you don't want to." she said trying to take off his shirt which he desperately tried to keep on.

" Yes! Yes I can! I'm saying I don't want to right now!"

Ilana sucked her teeth in annoyance but didn't stop her attempts at seduction.

" I thought you wanted a different me. I thought you said people had the right to hate me. That the me from before was no good."

She still sounded annoyed, but also confused. Lance closed his eyes and tried to convince her.

" I was wrong! I was wrong about everything! I like the way you try to make sure everyone's happy! I like that you don't let the fact that an entire armada want's to kill you get you down! I love that when you think something's wrong you do everything you can to help! I love you Ilana! **I love you!** And I want you back! Lance ranted truthfully.

Just then Ilana stopped abruptly and looked down at the flustered young corporal.

Suddenly, she passed out on top of him.

"Ilana?" he asked now worried rather than scared. Lance looked up to see Octus for the first time today, who was in his Newton form while holding a saringe.

" Octus, what have you done?" he questioned angrily. " I have fixed Ilana. It seems the creature I sensed from earlier infected her with it's poison. I was able to create a solution that should change her back to normal.' he answered the enraged young teen.

Lance looked down at the unconscious girl in his lap and smiled in relief.

* * *

Modula was currently standing over the now not moving(and quite possibly dead scientist).

" I don't even know why I bother sometimes."

* * *

Lance was laying down with Ilana in her bed, recounting the details of today's events to her. She was shocked to hear what she had done throughout the day.

" Oh my gosh! I really hurt that girl?!" she asked in disbelief.

Lance just nodded glad to hear concerned about people again. " Oh wow. I'll have to apologize to her first thing tomorrow." she declared. Lance just kept smiling at her, and interlocked his hand with hers.

" You couldn't have been less you than you were today." he informed her.

Ilana cringed slightly. " Is that a good thing?"

He kissed her forehead. " No, it was terrible." He then stroked her hair.

" Because I only love you when your you."

Ilana's eyes watered. She embraced him. Happy to be with him.

Happy to be herself.

* * *

So what do you think? Please give me your honest criticism and don't hesitate to give me any ideas or advice on improving.

See ya!


End file.
